Serine biosynthesis is a major metabolic pathway in E. coli. Its end product, serine, is not only used in protein synthesis, but also as a precursor for the biosynthesis of glycine, cysteine, tryptophan, and phospholipids. In addition, it directly or indirectly serves as a source of one-carbon units for the biosynthesis of various compounds. The biosynthesis of serine starts with 3-phosphoglyceric acid being metabolized by a NAD driven D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase / α-ketoglutarate reductase resulting in the release of a NADH, a hydrogen ion and a phosphohydroxypyruvic acid. The latter compound then interacts with an L-glutamic acid through a 3-phosphoserine aminotransferase / phosphohydroxythreonine aminotransferase resulting in oxoglutaric acid and DL-D-phosphoserine. The DL-D-phosphoserine can also be imported into the cytoplasm through a phosphonate ABC transporter. The DL-D-phosphoserine is dephosphorylated by interacting with a water molecule through a phosphoserine phosphatase resulting in the release of a phosphate and an L-serine L-serine is then metabolized by being dehydrated through either a L-serine dehydratase 2 or a L-serine dehydratase 1 resulting in the release of a water molecule, a hydrogen ion and a 2-aminoacrylic acid. The latter compound is an isomer of a 2-iminopropanoate which reacts spontaneously with a water molecule and a hydrogen ion resulting in the release of Ammonium and pyruvic acid. Pyruvic acid then interacts with a coenzyme A through a NAD driven pyruvate dehydrogenase complex resulting in the release of a NADH, a carbon dioxide and an acetyl-CoA.

Serine Biosynthesis and Metabolism References